THE future of one of North Wales’ best-known Noncomformist chapels is uncertain following news that the building may need up to £250,000 spent on it.

Officials of Capel Mawr, Denbigh’s largest Presbyterian chapel, are now considering various options including ways of cutting running costs, selling off assets and using the much smaller Seion chapel.

The crisis comes after a serious of mounting bills and with the prospect of further major expenditure over the next few years at a time when, like most other churches, membership is dwindling.

The Grade II listed building was built in 1800 and among its past members are some of Wales’ most eminent figures.

They include the poet and playwright Thomas Edwards, known as Twm o’r Nant, the politician, journalist and writer Thomas Gee, best-known for the printing works in the town which bore his name, and award-winning literary giants Kate Roberts, Gwilym R Jones and Mathonwy Hughes.

In his General Election campaign of 1906 David Lloyd George addressed a packed public meeting in the chapel.

There are currently about 220 members on the books, of whom 85-90 normally attend the Sunday morning services.

In recent months repairs to the exterior west wall of the building cost £20,000, about £12,000 more than originally estimated, and another £20,000 was spent on repairing the organ after water leaked through the roof.

The porch is in need of renovation at an estimated cost of £50,000 but the major expenditure is expected to be on re-roofing the building.

“That would cost £140,000, which, with additional maintenance, would take the total to about £250,000,” said treasurer Gwilym Luke-Jones.

Heating costs are also high, so more use is to be made of the recently refurbished sister church of Seion for services and weeknight meetings.

The Vale of Clwyd Presbytery has refused to make a grant towards the cost pending a detailed study .